Agenda Item 6: Universal periodic review

Consideration of the Universal Periodic Review outcome of - Costa Rica A/HRC/42/12, A/HRC/42/12/Add.1

Statement by: International Organization for the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination and Geneva International Centre for Justice (GICJ)

20 September 2019

Thank you, Mr. Vice President,

We welcome the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) outcome report of Costa Rica and commend the decision of its Government to accept one hundred and ninety-four recommendations.

We congratulate Costa Rica for the steps taken to enhance the protection and promotion of human rights, especially by increasing access to potable water and by adopting laws prohibiting all forms of discrimination in employment.  

Despite these efforts, we remain concerned about discrimination against indigenous people, persons of African descent, migrants, asylum seekers, refugees, women, older people, and persons with disabilities. In particular, we are deeply concerned by the widespread sexual harassment, violence against women and femicide in the country, and by the lack of prosecution of these crimes. We also note with concern the lack of possibility for indigenous people to participate in the national general mechanism of consultation in their own language.

Mr. Vice President, we call on the government of Costa Rica:

• To implement the UPR recommendations it accepted in this and previous sessions;
• To take steps towards the elimination of all violence against women by tackling root causes through awareness raising campaigns and trainings, and by providing adequate remedies for victims;
• Finally, we call on the government to facilitate and increase the participation and consultation of indigenous people, and the restoration of their lands.

I thank you.

Justice, Human rights, Geneva, geneva4justice, GICJ, Geneva International Centre For Justice